The Worry
by Mini-Em
Summary: Find out what's troubling Hermione on their quest to conquer the darkest wizard of all times. One shot. Book and/or movie world. Rated k  just to be safe. Enjoy. Comment, but remember the golden rule :


_**This is a very short fic based on the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book/movie (part 1) when back in Grimmauld place, Harry wakes up to find Ron and Hermione looking like they fell asleep holding hands. From Hermione's PoV. Like I said, not very long, but I do hope you enjoy it :) Please leave a review, but remember the Golden Rule!**_

Harry went to sleep really quickly. I thought he would linger on longer and that I would have to carry what's worrying me on the inside for yet another day or two or ten.

I got lucky. We all decided to camp in the living room because I didn't want to be alone. Ron had insisted I take the sofa to sleep on and he'd sleep on the floor. He can be such a gentleman when he wants to be.

As Harry drifted off to sleep, I could see Ron staring in to the ceiling and sigh deeply. I could hear Harry's breaths grow deeper and slowing down in pace while Ron's were barely audible despite the quiet that surrounded us.

"Ron?" I whisper. I know I must sound terrified, but I'm not really.

"What's wrong Hermione?" He sits up before he's even finished uttering the words.

"Nothing…I just…I can't sleep and I was… just thinking" I stumble and trip over words before I finally get my act together "do you ever wonder what we've gotten ourselves in to?" I ask carefully

"All the time" He replies and lies back down "Why? Do you want to leave? Cause I can understand, with your parents and all"

"No, of course not" I say quickly "We told Harry we'd be there for him and we will. Unless you know something I don't" I add.

"Nope" He says "You're the one with the brains"

I blush slightly and don't reply to what he's saying.

"I wonder what we'd be doing right now if you know who hadn't come back" He says "At Hogwarts probably"

"Yeah…With a new "defense against the dark arts" teacher too, I presume" I say and smile "I wonder if we would have had the DA, but that's not very likely though, is it?"

"If Umbridge had been our teacher it would" Ron says.

I don't know what else I can say. There's so much inside me but I don't want Ron to take it the wrong way, like I don't want to be here with them.

"Ron?" I ask again after a little while.

"Yeah?"

"What if…what if something happened to us?" I don't really want to continue but I need to talk to someone "What if we don't make it? I don't think mom and dad…" I start tearing up as I speak so I shift my path "I think I've cast a good enough charm, but what if I haven't? What if they come looking for me, only to find that I'm…?" I can't eve utter the last word

"Hermione, you worry too much" Ron says and takes my hand "You're the best one at charms that I've ever met, and nothing will happen to you, I promise"

"Really?" Somehow I doubt everything he's just said.

"Really. You're the only one who could ever get 110% on a test"

"But just because I was good on a test once…" I start

"More like every single minute" Ron butts in.

"…doesn't mean I know more about fighting all of this than you or Harry. What says that I'm not going to go tomorrow because I'm not as practical as you are?"

"Me" He says after a moment's consideration.

"You?"

"I'm saying that you'll still be around tomorrow"

"That's very sweet Ron, but you can't promise that" I say and am for a moment considering withdrawing my hand from his, but something stops me. Nothing physical; it's just something in my mind.

"Okay, but I can promise to protect you" He starts stroking the back of my hand. Because of the streetlights outside I can notice his ears going slightly redder and he hurries to add "and I'm sure Harry feels the same way. We'd die for you Hermione"

"I really hope it doesn't come to that, but thank you" I smile, though I'm not sure if he actually can see it.

"Any time" He says "So do you think you can sleep now?"

"Yes, thank you" I say and smile.

He doesn't let go through, but I, a thousand thoughts lighter, start to drift off to sleep as Ron continues to gently rub the back of my hand.


End file.
